The Grove Pair
by Ravens Trinity
Summary: An unlikely pair will arrive in Valdemar bringing about change and new ideas. But will one of these new friends be willing to risk their life to save a world that might not accept them or their past.
1. Prologue

**I do not own this universe. All rights belong to Mercedes Lackey. Just wanted to try my own hand at story telling.**

**Prologue**

It was supposed to be a typical call. Bad guy runs a red light, cop sees, tries to pull bad guy over and bad guy of course flees. So here I am in my squad car part of a decently long line of other cop cars chasing after a lunatic in a supped up sports car. The typical call.

As fate would have it this regular day, in a very long line of regular days, was about to become very unregular. Who knew that all that science fiction and fantasy stuff I read was about to become my life. But I am getting ahead of the story a bit.

Just as I was about to wish that I had never answered my radio in response to this chase, the situation changed very quickly. The road our little daredevil was on was about to dead end and he of course was probably going to panic. As his car skidded to a halt I quickly slowed down as well, stopping. I then noticed that I, somehow, had become the head of this squad car parade. I don't really remember how I got to the lead but all I can think of was that since this wasn't my first car chase in the four years I have been in the force my buddies were letting me take lead. Either way, things were about to get interesting.

Procedure dictated that I get out of my squad car, leaving the door open and draw my gun on the idiot in front of me, making sure to leave the car door between myself and the suspect.

"Get out of the car slowly, with your hands where I can see them," I yelled across the road.

My buddies were finally getting their slow behinds out of their cars, assuming the same position as myself. The suspect in question seemed to be following my orders slowly getting out of his car with his hands in the air.

"Turn around and put your hands on the car, slowly," I continued.

He did as I said.

And I did the stupidest thing of my career. I got out from behind the door of my squad car, unshielding myself from the "safe" suspect. Little did I know the little *insert curse word here* had a small pistol hidden in the front of his pants. He must have stuck it there while speeding his way through the streets. And yes, he did what you are thinking, he pulled the gun, turned around 180 degrees, leveled the gun and fired. At me. All with a practiced ease of someone who knows what they are doing.

Now I don't know if any of you have ever been shot, but let me tell you something. It hurts, it hurts a lot more than many people care to admit. And it especially hurts when it hits bone.

As soon as I saw him begin to turn I prepared myself for impact as any normal person would, I prayed. I prayed to anyone and anything that if the bullet did hit, it wouldn't hit anywhere vital or potentially fatal. I, however got the short straw on that prayer when I felt the bullet hit me in the side of the neck. A one in a million shot. Then I got a second surprise, a second bullet hit me in my inner thigh, and again I instantly prayed that it wasn't anything vital. For the second time on that very unlucky day I got the short straw.

I could tell that the bullet in my neck missed anything totally vital, more than anything it took out a hunk of my flesh. Not quite a graze but not a full on hit either. As I knelt to the ground with a hand on my neck the second bullet ripped into my thigh, hitting and lodging in the bone. Instantly I knew I was in trouble. There was blood all over me after a few seconds. Thing must have nicked or severed a major artery.

While I was lying on the ground, losing blood faster than that sports car I was chasing, my buddies had shot and subsequently killed the suspect, while others surrounded me trying to stop the bleeding from my thigh and the little from my neck. I could vaguely hear them calling my name, calling for an ambulance and shouting at each other. I was fighting a losing battle though. There was little chance the paramedics could have been here before I bled out, so as I fought for consciousness I prayed for a third time that horrific day. Apparently third time _is_ the charm, because as I lay dying I suddenly and unexpectedly felt great pressure on my body, I started feeling very nauseous and then I felt myself hitting the ground and feeling grass all around me. At that instant I didn't wonder how I had gone from pavement to grass because I was still losing a battle to stay awake.

Before I knew it though I felt strength flow into my body. Enough so I didn't give up on life and enough for me to open my eyes. I saw a dozen large white shapes surrounding me, it took me a second to realize they were horses, but at that moment my attention was drawn else ware. They were drawn to blue eyes, blue sapphire eyes were staring at me from all directions and in that moment my life changed forever. For I hear in my head a voice, no it was many voices, all saying:

_-*Stay with us Trinity. Help with be here soon. Stay with us._

And that would be my last thought before I finally succumbed to the darkness, passing out surrounded by white spirits, as if from a dream.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Queen Selenay was sick and tired of all the squabbling among the counselors. A quick glance to Talia, the Queens Own Herald and to Elspeth, the heir showed the same boredom and annoyance. The council had been in session for 3 days with little break to even breathe. The flooding, unusual for this time of year, in the north was destroying villages and crops. This coupled with increased bandit activity had the palace coffers beginning to strain.

It had not been long since the battle with Ancar and just as Selenay was hoping to make some headway back to normalcy more crises were evolving. The current debate, which had them occupied for the past 3 days, was trying to determine how the Realms remaining coin should be spent and what programs, if any, might need to be cut to save coin in case of an even more dire emergency.

There were currently two sides vying for the correct course of action. One side was being spearheaded by Lady Counselor Cathan who was the speaker for the Guilds and the other side was being spearheaded by Lord Counselor Gildas who was the speaker for the south and its rich grain lands. Both had logical plans; however both also tended to favor one action over another with little to no compromise, which always left someone out in the cold.

In this case Lady Cathan wanted to cut the program Selenay herself started to feed and teach all the realms children, long enough to use the savings to increase the size of the army to deal with the bandits. Then using what was left in the coffers and some of the royal grain to aid the villagers in the north. A good plan but Selenay was not about to cut the one program that fed and taught the poor people of the realm. The poor relied on that food for their children and the teaching that might let them escape their poverty. Besides, Selenay knew very well that a short term cut in the program would lead to a long term cut which would lead to who knows where. Also this plan seemed to not affect the guild in any way, which is probably what Lady Cathan wanted. No, she would not do that to her people.

On the other hand Lord Gildas was vying not to cut any programs at all, just raise taxes again and use that coin to rebuild the army to fight the bandits and use what was left in the coffers to help the villagers in the north. He also had the idea to not use the royal grain, but to impose a grain tax (with grain being the payment) for one season to help the north. Selenay also knew this plan wasn't fully a good one. The people had already been taxed enough to pay for the previous skirmishes against Ancar and she knew instigating another tax would induce riots. Besides, Lord Gildas was from the south where they could afford further taxation, not to mention the rich grain fields which could also afford to lose some grain. The counselors just didn't understand how hard tax raises were on the people. Why should they? They were among the wealthiest people in Valdemar. This plan was a no go as well.

But just as soon as it looked as if the council was to spend another day debating, Princess Elspeth came up with a solution, that when laid out, seemed obvious to everyone and even encompassed both sides of the debate.

"Stop, just stop," Elspeth stated loud enough for everyone to hear. A shouting match was about to ensue and by the look on her mother's face Elspeth knew it would have brought on another headache. Talia didn't look much better; she had just recently been cleared by the healers to begin normal, albeit not too strenuous duties again. It had taken her a few months to recover from what Ancar had done to her and she still wasn't her old self yet.

"I have an idea, and let me get it all out before you all start squabbling again like a bunch of chickens." The council members stared at her, mouths open at the remark. "What if we don't cut mothers program and don't totally raise the taxes but instead use some of the coin from the coffers to increase the army whom we allow to go after the bandits and pillage their valuables. They will not be allowed to murder and rape as most pillaging parties might since it's just wrong. We can then use those valuables to help rebuild some villages in the north. Further we can use a small amount of the royal grain as well as placing a small grain tax, with grain being the payment as Lord Gildas suggested, but only taxing those that can afford to lose some. This will save us money incase Ancar decides he wants to attack us again soon. Sound like a plan?"

The counselors continued to stare at her; even Elspeth's mother and Talia were staring. They were wondering how no one had been able to combine both plans in to such an elegant solution. This plan was a good one since it encompassed both sides as well as allowing for no single party to be left out in the cold. Even though pillaging was highly frowned upon in Valdemar its use in this manor, with restrictions, did not seem too bad.

A few minutes later Lady Cathan and Lord Gildas looked at each other after thinking how such a plan might really work and both agreed that such a plan was feasible, which led the other counselors to also agree. However just as an official plan was taking shape, another crisis emerged.

_-* To the Grove! To the Grove!_ And Selenay was instantly shut out of the mental contact with her companion.

Selenay heard her companion, Caryo, react in immediate alarm and by the face of the Queens Own and the Heir, they must have received similar messages from their companions. As Selenay thought about it, Caryo had been unnaturally quite for the past hour, which made Selenay even more confused.

She had clearly heard Caryo exclaim "To the Grove" which could only mean that the situation was very urgent. The Grove was sacred and Caryo sounded so stricken. Selenay immediately wondered if a Grove born companion had just arrived making her excited but worried. A grove born, with the exception of one like Rolan meant to be the Queens Own Companion, would only mean that great change was coming to Valdemar, and possibly not for the better. It still didn't make sense though for Caryo to have shut her out so completely, leaving her blind to the situation. She desperately needed to end this session.

"Counselors," she said standing up, "I am sorry but I must immediately end this session. Something has come up with the companions and I need to discover the source. We will continue this as soon as I get a chance. Good day." Right after she swept out of the room almost as fast as a companion runs, followed closely behind by Talia and Elspeth. For a second time in an hour the counselors were stunned with mouths open agape, not knowing what to do.

"Mother, you heard that didn't you?" Elspeth asked as they hurriedly walked down the hall.

"Yes, I did. How about you Talia?"

"Yes, something has happened to the companions, something so vital they must all be headed for the Grove."

"Then we have little time," Selenay remarked. "They are ahead of us and I for one want to know what has them so riled up enough to cut us off."

Out in the companion's field an almost immediate sense of alarm had swept through the companions. All at once every companion in the city of Haven and the immediate countryside side shot their heads up, eyes bright and wild with alarm. The Heralds were completely confused as every one of them was cut off from the mind contact with their companions. And almost as one all the companions, whether young or old, bonded or unbounded, left whatever they were doing and immediately ran in the direction of the grove. If one was to ask someone who witnessed the immediate departure of the companions they would tell you that their blue sapphire eyes had begun to glow as well as the surrounding air around their bodies. They would tell you it was an eerie moment, a moment a few ever get to witness.

As all the companions rushed to the Grove, members of the Palace and of the surrounding Collegium were pouring out of various buildings. At the front of the group was Queen Selenay, Queens Own Talia and Heir Elspeth. They were immediately met by Herald Alberich who didn't say a word about the situation. Instead they all jogged and ran as fast to the Grove as their human legs could carry them. When they neared closer a brilliant flash of light came from the direction of the Grove, blinding everyone for a few seconds. It immediately disappeared to be followed by a steadier glow and as the Queen and her entourage were within feet of the companions they saw it was now the companions themselves glowing.

They could not see what had appeared in the Grove as so many companions were blocking their sight. After pushing and shoving their way to the center of the companion's attention, they saw in utter disbelief what had arrived. It was a girl, no a young woman, lying on the ground and she seemed to be unconscious. It was as if she had called the companions to her like a beacon. What struck the people of Valdemar the most however was that she was wearing clothing, however very torn and ragged clothing, that none of them recognized. It was dark blue in color and there seemed to be a belt on her waist with an odd assortment of items. There was blood all over her whether her own or someone else's no one immediately knew. They were all too shocked to move a muscle.

_-*Quickly Heralds, she is dying, she is severely wounded. We have done what we can but she needs immediate healing._

It was Rolan who had spoken, speaking to all of them and not just his Chosen, Talia. The statement that she was dying awoke them from their astonishment. Selenay immediately moved to action.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

It didn't take long for the healers to arrive. They immediately began a very simple healing to access the damage and to be sure that when they moved the woman to the healer's hall they didn't do any more damage. To the heralds staring in mute shock it was still very hard to tell what was wrong exactly and whose blood was all over the woman.

"Well? What has happened to her?," Selenay asked the healers after waiting a few minutes.

"It seems she is unconscious from loss of blood, my lady," one replied. "She seems to have been injured on her neck and most of the blood is coming from a severed blood vessel on her thigh. We have stopped the bleeding for the most part but we need to get her inside so we can heal her fully."

"Alright, please do the best you can. Have your companions contact Caryo as soon as you get her settled. I need to go speak to the remaining heralds at the collegium to let them know what has upset the companions so."

Not too many hours later the healers had finished getting the girl settled into a room with a constant guard, just in case she woke up without a healer present. They healed her physical wounds fully, even extracting a small strange bit of metal from her thigh that was slightly lodged into the bone. They kept the metal, along with her clothes, to show to Selenay after everyone had calmed down some. Selenay soon arrived to question the healers fully and discuss her condition.

"Will she recover from this?"

"She should Selenay," the chief healer stated, "although, at this point in time we are most worried about her state of unconsciousness. She lost a lot of blood through her leg so it might take time for her to become conscious again. If and when she does wake up she could forever have a limp. We took this piece of metal out of her leg; we believe it is what caused the injury." The healer handed Selenay the small piece of metal.

"This is very strange," Selenay replied looking at the healer. "You say it was in her leg?"

"Yes, it was partially lodged into her bone. We removed it and then helped knit the bone back together to make it stronger."

"Well, hopefully she can tell us what it is when she wakes up. Caryo tells me that all the companions are still somehow linked to her, thought I am unsure how. They must be trying to heal her mind while you healed her body."

_*It is more complicated than that Selenay. But we will tell nothing until she has awoken._

_*What are you going on about Caryo? She can from the grove, how can you not tell me anything?_ Selenay acquired the look on her face that said she was conversing with her companion, so the healer waited patiently.

_*I am sorry chosen, I cannot reveal what has happened, not until the time is right._

_*You Caryo are being cryptic._

_*You should be used to it by now. _Caryo replied with a mental smile.

Turning back to the healer Selenay told him "I am sorry; Caryo will tell me nothing about her. She says we must wait for her to awaken. I will be waiting for news whenever you have any. "

"Ok Selenay, there will be someone here with her at all times; just to be sure nothing happens."

Selenay nodded and moved out of the young girl's room, back to her life as the Queen of Valdemar, back to the monotony of the council chamber.

While Valdemar was busy with its usual day to day affairs Trinity was drifting in and out of consciousness. She never fully came awake but she was aware enough at time to realize that wherever she was she was at least safe it seemed. Her leg and her neck did not seem to hurt as much as it should. But she could never seem to stay awake long enough to come fully conscious, gently falling back into the darkness that kept surrounding her. Even in the dark though, she felt a presence of something good all around her. She felt safe in the darkness, and eventually allowed herself to relax and that was when she began to dream.

She was walking in a hallway, barefoot and in some kind of overly large white shirt. The hallway wasn't a normal hallway either. It seemed as if it was made of stone floor, walls and ceiling, and all the doors she saw were fairly large, and made out of some kind of very old wood. The doors did not even have doorknobs as she knew them. There were rings instead and a very old locking system that might have used a very large iron key. As she walked down the hallway she came around a corner, and encountered a young woman. The first thing she thought of was a maid. The woman saw her and immediately started to talk to her, but Trinity could not hear the young woman. Trinity fell back into a deep sleep but not before she saw the eyes of the young maid widen in fear.

The next dream had Trinity out in some kind of stables she guessed. But there were no doors on any of the stalls and every horse she saw was pure white. They all looked at her and she noticed that their eyes were all blue. A very unusual color for a horses eyes, but somehow they looked a lot more intelligent than any horse Trinity had met before. And again Trinity fell back into a deep sleep, but not before she heard a faint chuckle in her mind.

The dreams went on and on. She never held a single dream for more than a few minutes. She was in what she assumed were kitchens, somehow shocking the people there by her presence. She was in a library, but all the books looked very different and very old. There was a wooden floored room that had walls surrounded by mirrors and some kind of training equipment strewn all over the place, with a scarred man teaching children how to fight. There were so many places that Trinity began to lose track of them all. In them she never spoke a word and could only faintly hear voices, but never understood what was said to her. Eventually she stopped dreaming, and that was when she finally began to come awake.

Selenay was back into the young girl's recovery room. They still did not know her name, nor anything about her. It had been a week to the day that she had arrived from the grove and she was getting disturbing stories from the staff and heralds around the collegium and palace. Stories of seeing a young woman, unknown to anyone, barefoot and wearing a simple white shift appearing out of nowhere and disappearing before people's eyes. Many believed the apparitions to be a ghost, but Selenay knew it was no ghost for the girl was alive, just unconscious. All Selenay could think of was that maybe she had some unknown form of mind magic. She hoped the woman would awaken soon; all these reports were driving her to sleepless nights.

"Have you seen any change in her? Any at all?" Selenay asked the healer that was available. It was a young healer by the color of her robes.

"None at all Queen Selenay. She has not awoken nor even stirred since she arrived. We do not know why she won't wake up, all the signs say she should be awake now but she is not.

"What about these apparitions? Could she somehow be leaving this room to roam around?"

"No, there is someone in here at all times with her. She has not moved at all."

"What kind of mind magic is this then that can make someone appear and disappear, all without the body moving an inch. I have heard nothing like it, not even from outside of Valdemar."

As Selenay was speaking to the young healer Trinity was coming awake. She could hear what sounded like a woman talking to a young woman. They were talking about appearing and disappearing and something called mind magic. From what Trinity could understand, and thanks to her love of reading science fiction and fantasy books, it sounded like they were talking about astral projection. But that wasn't real. It was magic, and magic wasn't real as much as she wished it were. Trinity was fighting the darkness again, but this time she felt stronger, she felt that she must awaken to find out what had happened. As she stirred and began to move on the bed, trying to come fully awake, Selenay and the healer didn't notice her.

When she was fully awake she looked around the room for a minute but her eyes immediately went to the older of the two women discussing something else near the door to the room she was in, their backs turned.

"Why are you talking about what sounds like astral projection? Magic isn't real," Trinity stated before the two women even noticed she was awake.

Selenay and the young healer turned around, mouths agape, looking at the young woman in the bed. They hadn't heard her awaken so focused on their discussion they were. Selenay very quickly gained back her composure.

Looking at the woman on the bed she asked, "What is your name? And what is astral projection?


	4. Chapter 3

**Sorry for taking such a long time to continue with this. I am in my final year at college and have been so busy. I havent forgotten about this story though. I hope you all like it. Reviews are most welcome. **Chapter 3

Trinity looked at the woman in front of her, really looked at her, and decided she must be someone important. She had an air about her that indicated authority and so Trinity decided to answer the question without any kind of fuss.

"Trinity, my name is Trinity. And before I answer about astral projection, I would like to know who you are, both of you and where I am."

The young healer looked at Trinity with an expression of shock. How could someone speak to the Queen like that with no regard for proper protocol and manners? Glancing at the queen she saw a wry smile on the queen's lips and decided for the moment that Selenay was more intrigued than irritated at the woman's indiscretion.

"I am Queen Selenay, and you are in the Kingdom of Valdemar. This is Krista, a novice healer, as indicated by her robes," Selenay replied almost immediately. She had decided to be up front with Trinity, considering how unusual the current situation was.

"Queen Selenay, in the Kingdom of Valdemar? Are you screwing with me? As far as I know there is no such place on planet earth called Valdemar, although I guess it could be a really small country I've never heard of. But that begs the question of how I ended up here when I am supposed to be at the hospital in Houston. How long have I been here? And what time is it?"

Selenay was having trouble following what Trinity was talking about. Something about planet earth, and hospital in a place called Houston. She briefly wondered if the young woman was in her sane mind. Though, she did appear out of the grove, so wherever she came from and thus was babbling could make perfect sense to her.

"Well I certainly have a lot more question to ask of you Trinity, but those will have to wait. You have been here for exactly a week and it is currently close to sunset, and you arrived in very bad shape I might add. Now I will ask you again, what is astral projection?"

Krista looked at the Queen and decided to leave these two women alone. Trinity did not look to be in pain so Krista started to edge out of the room. She was stopped momentarily by the Queen, "Krista can you go get Talia and Elspeth for me? Oh and might as well fetch Alberich as well, this could take a while."

"Yes ma'am, I will go fetch them."

Turning back to Trinity the Queen crossed her arms over her chest waiting for an answer to her repeated question. She cocked her eyebrows and was pleased to see Trinity take a quick swallow before answering.

"Well, astral projection is kind of like an out of body experience." She saw Selenay's confusion immediately and continued on. "It denotes the astral body, or spirit as some might say, that leaves the physical body and consciously take shape outside of it. A person's astral projection can usually interact with the people or objects around it. Usually a person's physical body will collapse since the spirit is no longer inside of it to animate it. If I remember correctly from my reading it has also been suggested the truly powerful can literally be in two places at once and can control the physical body as well as the astral body into interacting at the same time. Although that would easily exhaust someone very quickly." Trinity looked at the Queen and wondered if she gave too much information too fast. It didn't really matter though, magic wasn't real.

Quickly absorbing the new information Selenay replied, "Well that actually makes perfect now." It was Trinity's urn to look confused. "Did you know that people all over the castle have been claiming to have seen you for a couple minutes, dozens of times, and your body was lying in that bed and not moving?"

"Wha-? I don't see how that's possible, magic isn't real. Its fantasy, made up, just stories that keep people entertained. There is no-," Selenay cut her off with a raised hand.

"Wait. Are you telling me Trinity that where you are from there is no magic? Not even mind magic?"

"What's mind magic?"

Before Selenay could answer her Krista returned with Talia the Queens Own, Elspeth the heir and Alberich the weapons master. Krista also seemed to have acquired some bread and water for Trinity, which was good thinking on her part.

"Very good Krista, thanks for bringing the water. Please give it to Trinity and give us some time. I will come find you when we are done."

Krista did as she was asked as well as a quick curtsey and left the room, closing the door behind her. The small room in the healers hall was somewhat cramped now but it couldn't be helped. Some decisions had to be made in private and this was the best solution.

_*Caryo, can you please tell me what's going on now? She is finally awake and I want answers._

_*I am sorry Selenay; I still cannot reveal everything yet. She might be awake but there are still many things I cannot tell you. I can say that she is correct; her home has no magic, mind magic or mage magic. And she is perfectly sane, just confused_

_*If her world has no magic then can she have it Caryo? I am very confused Caryo as well as annoyed. I hate it when all you companions get like this. Hiding so many secrets and revealing close to none. I thought we got passed this after we dealt with Ancar. Why are you behaving so again?_

_*You know I cannot answer that. And I do not relish is hiding things from you, but it is for the best. All will be revealed in time. Trust her Selenay. She is very open minded and I am sure you can charm her._

Selenay snickered at that final remark. She then noticed that Trinity was staring at her and the others, having finished drinking the water Krista gave her.

"Well mother? What has Caryo said?" Elspeth asked.

"Very little I am afraid," she said with a look of annoyance. "Trinity this is my daughter Elspeth," gesturing to her. "And this is Talia, the Queens Own and Alberich, the weapons master."

"Nice to meet you all," Trinity began "but what is going on?"

Selenay took a moment to explain to the new arrivals what Trinity had said while they were waiting for their arrival. "It seems Trinity; you have somehow landed yourself in a land full of the same magic you claim does not exist. And we have no idea how you got here." Deciding not to bring up the companions just yet Selenay said, "We found you out in one of the tree groves on Palace grounds. You were hurt pretty severely, something took a chunk out of your neck as well as having an artery severed in you thigh from a small piece of metal we found in the thigh bone. At some point you are going to have to explain that piece of metal and the clothing and gear we found you in, but for the moment I want you to rest and gather strength."

"I-," Trinity started but the Queen cut her off again.

"No, we will talk more tomorrow. Right now we have some decisions to make and I need to confer with some people. Alberich I want you to increase the guard on this hallway. Talia I need you and Elspeth to come with me to my chambers. I will see you two in half a mark." With that Selenay swept out without looking back, intent on some mission none of the others could fathom.

"Well," Talia started, "it seems you are to be with us for some time Trinity. I suggest you make yourself comfortable and listen to the healers. Drink what they tell you, it will improve your strength."

With that Talia, Elspeth and Alberich left the room. Leaving Trinity with far too many questions than answers. A few minutes went but when a different healer came in. He handed her a cup filled with something and told her to drink it. She did, it tasted awful, but the look the healer gave her told her to swallow and not spit it back out. Not long after Trinity found herself sinking into sleep.

**xXxXxXx**

Trinity woke with a start a some hours later. She wasn't sure what woke her but she felt the need to get up and move, to escape the confines of the room she had been in, to be outside. She wasn't sure how she was going to accomplish that though. A quick peek out the door showed four guards in the hallway, and very little chance she could slip away unnoticed. Suddenly though all four guards turned in response to a noise down the hall. They left their posts and Trinity took the opportunity to flee the room.

She discovered she had been on the ground floor of a very large building, and not too far from a door that led outside. Once outside she realized she didn't have any shoes on, but for some reason something was pulling her towards what looked like pastures. In no time at all she had crossed the entire pasture, through some trees, into a second pasture where white forms stood, almost as if they were expecting her. They looked like horses, but their coats were pure white, their eyes the most riveting shade of blue and the hooves were silver. It was no horse Trinity had ever seen and she briefly wondered if magic was indeed real.

The supposed horses didn't move as she continued walking forward. They looked at her with intelligence in their eyes, letting her pass unhindered. Eventually she came to a grove of trees, and the pull got stronger. She ventured closer to it and as the pull seemed to become stronger than ever a great flash of light blinded Trinity for a few moments. She wasn't sure what had happened. Then she heard a voice, not with her ears, but with her mind.

*_My name is Graviel. And you are mine Trinity. Just as I am yours._ In a masculine tone.

She looked in the "direction" of the voice and saw a stallion standing before her. A beautiful stallion that had the same eyes as blue as sapphires, holding the same intelligence as the other horses. Trinity had a moment to contemplate what had just happened before she collapsed in a faint at the horse's feet.

**xXxXxXx**

_-*The grove. The grove. Back to the grove!_

Every herald in Valdemar heard the ringing through their companions voices. They were all shocked to know that something else had come through the grove only a week after the first presence arrived. Selenay, Talia and Elspeth were still awake discussing what to do about the new arrival that was in the healer's hall when they heard the call. All three looked to each other, with disbelief on their faces.

"Another one? What is going on?" Talia asked.

"We better go to the grove mother. Everyone else would have heard that as well."

They left the Queens chambers immediately and before long they were in the companion's field, near the grove. Alberich was there as was the chief healer and a few other heralds. All the companions had again circled around something and this time they let the Queen and her entourage through without any hassle. What they saw took their breath away, as well as shocked them to the core.

Trinity was lying next to a large stallion. A stallion with the blue eyes of a companion. However there was something different about this stallion from all other companions. He was black, black as night and shadow and darkness. So black they could barely make him out in the darkness.

"He's black. There has NEVER been a black companion before. It's impossible," Selenay stated.

*_As I am sitting here at this very moment it is indeed possible Queen Selenay_. Graviel projected his mind towards all that were there. _I would appreciate it if you took my companion back inside. She has collapsed from shock and exhaustion, and I want no more harm to come to her._

All the heralds looked at each other in mute shock, before springing into action. Something was indeed about to change in Valdemar, as indicated by this unlikely pair, both arriving from the sacred grove. What it meant they had no idea. They would just have to deal with it when the time came.


End file.
